Ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used for the treatment of diabetes, cardiac and renal diseases in the North centre region of Morocco (Fez–Boulemane)

Type 2 diabetes is one of the noncommunicable diseases that is becoming a pandemic in Africa. In Morocco, traditional healers have started to use herbal medicines for the treatment of diabetes either individually or in combination with food. The current study aimed to perform an ethnobiological survey of antidiabetic plants use in the Taza region of Morocco. A total of 193 traditional healers were interviewed using a semistructured questionnaire. Data collected were analyzed utilizing the use value (UV), fidelity level (FL), and relative frequency citation (RFC) indices. Forty-six plant species belonging to 28 families were recorded for the treatment of diabetes in the Taza region of Morocco. The most frequently cited plant species are Salvia officinalis, Marrubium vulgare, and Ajuga iva. Lamiaceae, Asteraceae, and Fabaceae were the most reported families. Leaves are the most used part of plants to prepare drugs, the decoction is the preferred mode of preparation, and remedies are often administered orally. Interestingly, Cytisus battandieri, Urginea maritima, Plantago ovata, and Ziziphus jujuba were reported as new medicinal plants used to treat diabetes in the Taza region of Morocco. People in the Taza region still rely on indigenous plants for their basic healthcare needs. Further research should be carried out to validate the antidiabetic effect of the newly reported plant species. This validation can be investigated by the determination of bioactive compounds and evaluation of their in vitro and in vivo antidiabetic effects.

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Alternanthera repens and Bidens odorata, Resilience Medicinal Plants in Mexico City

Revista de Ciencias ◽

10.25100/rc.v19i2.6277 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 19 (2) ◽

pp. 12

Author(s):

Adela Astudillo Vázquez ◽

Hortencia Dávalos Valle ◽

Alfredo Patiño Siciliano

Keyword(s):

Medicinal Plants ◽

Mexico City ◽

Renal Diseases ◽

Gastrointestinal Disorders ◽

Pharmacological Effects ◽

Duration Of Treatment ◽

Ethnobotanical Survey ◽

Medicinal Uses ◽

Preparation Route

In Mexico, the use of medicinal plants to treat health disorders has been practiced since pre-Columbian times. Unfortunately, this knowledge has been lost over time, mainly in highly urbanized areas. We conduct an ethnobotanical survey about Alternanthera repens, Kuntze (Amaranthaceae) and Bidens odorata Cav. (Asteraceae) in Mexico City. A total of 500 peope were interviwed, 250 of them were questioned about B. odorata and 250 in relation to A. repens, the questions included: common names, medicinal uses, part of the plant used, mode of preparation, route of administration and duration of treatment. This study revealed that both plant species are currently used in top diseases, in the study area, mostly to treat gastrointestinal disorders, specifically diarrhea; A. repens is also recommended to treat fever and renal diseases, whereas B. odorata is used for treating diabetes, renal disorders and less frequently for fever and as forage. The results allow us to ensure that these plants are used today and are potentially important to continue with the determination of their pharmacological effects and other aspects.

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